Lubricator.



Patented Mar. 6, |900. H. WOODS.

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(Application fxled Oct. 26, 1896.)

(No Model.)

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Nrrnu STATES PATENT FFICE.

HUGH VOODS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TI'IE NATHAN MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

,LUBRICATOR SPECIFICATION forming .part of Letters Patent N o. 645,026, dated March 6, 1906.

Application led October 26, 1896. Serial No. GlOllOO. (No model.) i

T0 @ZZ whom t mfc/ j concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH Woons, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lubricators for` the Valves and Cylinders of Locomotive-Engines, of Which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which represents in vertical section, partly in elevation, a lubricator embodying my invention in its preferredform.

The lubricator shown in the drawing in illustration of my invention is what is termed a double-feed lubricator-p-that is to say, one in which both of the cylinders and valves of a locomotive-engine are lubricated from one common oil-reservoir. It will be understood, however, that the number of feed-outlets With which the lubricator is provided may be varied Without departure from my invention.

I Will first give a general description of the lubricator and will then more specifically describe those portions of the structure in which my invention is found.

A is the oil-reservoir, and B the condenser, which at its top is provided with a union connection, to which is attached a pipe leading to the boiler. The oil-reservoir is provided with the usual sight-glasses C and upper and lower sight-feed brackets D and D. A pipe, which is not shown in the drawing, leads the .Water of condensation in the usual manner from the condenser to the bottom of the oilreservoir, and the pipe E leads the oil down to the channel F, which connects with the feed-nozzles Gr, the passage of the oil through which nozzles is regulated by the valves Hin the usual way.

' K is a drain-valve.

L are valves to shut off steam from the glasses in case they should break, and M are equalizing-pipes.

The lubricator as thus far described is Well known and requires no further description.

In ordinary lubricators of this class each of the upper sight-feed brackets contains,near the outlet-point into the oil-pipe which leads to the cylinder, an outlet-nozzle With an exceedingly small opening,which nozzle, in connection with the equalizing-tubes M, serves.

in the usual manner to equalize the pressure within the lubricator. O Win g to the fact that the steam-supply for the lubricator comes directly from the boiler, it is evident that the escape of steam and oil through the upper sight-brackets is practically continuous,even though the throttle-valve be closed and the engine motionless. It has been found, however, that when the throttle-valve is opened and steam admitted to the steam-chest' the small volume of steam passing through the nozzles condenses within the oil-pipes, resulting in a reduced pressure therein. This reduced pressure is not sufficient to resist the back pressure of steam from the steam-chest, with the result that the feed ofthe lubricator becomes irregular and eventually stops altogether. It is the object of my invention to overcome this eect in a simple and reliable manner.

To this end I combine With the lubricator and the oil or tallow pipe leading therefrom tothe cylinder of the locomotive-engin e, through which pipe there is aconstant lowof steam and oil in limited quantity to the cylinder through the usual plug or nozzle or its equivalent, a

valve or piston plug, preferably of the differential type, controlling a steam-passage from the lubricator side of the apparatus to the talloW-pipe and adapted to be operated by the back pressure from the cylinder to open said passage to the talloW-pipe under these conditions, and thus admit an additional supply of steam to neutralize the back pressure from the cylinder." I prefer to so arrange things that, With the'additional supply of steam, an additional supply of oil shall also be furnished at this time, the latter passing then not through the constantly-open chokeplug alone, but also through the passage or passages opened up by the valve. Thus not only is the back pressure from the cylinder neutralized or equalized by the additional volume of steam admitted at the lubricator end of the oil or tallow pipe, but the oil-feed is increased also. In other Words, thefeed is increased when the throttle is open and is decreased when the throttle is closed, because in the latter case the. oil can pass through the small constantly-open choke passage or plug only. These features, broadly considered, are

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' from the cylinder.

not new with me, as a lubricating apparatus embodying said characteristics is shown and described in United States Patent No. 267,430, granted to R. J. Hoffman on January 14,1882.

In carrying out my invention I employ, in connection with a lubricator having suitable boiler, cylinder, and equalizing pipe connec- Irions, a piston-valve, or, as I have sometimes termed it, an equalizing piston-plug, provided with a restricted constantly-open port or passage through it for a continuous supply of steam and oil in minimum quantity from the lubricator to the tallow-pipe and with additional ports or passages (distinct and separate from the constantly-open minimum-supply port) which are open for the passage ot' an additional supply of steam or steam yand oil only when the piston-valve is operated to move oy the back pressure from the cylinder. Thus the piston-valve, so far as its restricted constantly-open passage is concerned, vcorresponds in function to the choke-plug usually employed at the lubricator end of the tallow-pipe, While, so far as its additional parts are concerned, it is a valve which controls said ports and opens them only when operated so to do by back pressure The piston-valve is preferably of the differential type, having its smaller area at the lubricator end and its larger area at its cylinder end, and I can and prefer to combine with it a spring which presses against it from its cylinder end, so as to nearly, but not quite, balance it against the lsteam-pressure from the lubricator end, thus rendering it more sensitive to the back pressure from the cylinder.

I now proceed to a description of the structure embodying the foregoing features which is shown in the drawing.

vTo each delivery end of the lubricator is attached a casing a, which is formed with a recess c and with openings b, leading to said recess from the delivery end of the lubricator. Itis also provided with a horizontal cylindrical bore or seat in which is mounted the piston-valve CZ, which is longitudinally movable in its seat. This piston-valve has in its lubricator end a longitudinal central opening e and in its periphery, beyond the lubricator end of the valve, a number of larger ports or openings f. All of these openings e and f communicate with the large central passage g of the piston-valve. The piston-valve is of the differential type, having its greater area at its cylinder end, and against this larger be oiled on a downgrade in case the sight-feed becomes disabled, and m is the passage from the hand-oiler opening into the casing at a point beyond the cylinder end of the pistonvalve.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: When the engine is standing still or running on a downgrade with no steam in the cylinders, the steam passing continuously directly from the boiler through the equalizing-pipes M will press against the smaller head of piston d, compressing the spring h' and moving back the piston until the holes f Will be covered by the partition n of casing a. In this case only the very small hole c will be operative for the passage of steam and oil into the cylinder, and the lubricator will operate as an ordinary lubricator with Xed outletnozzle or choke-plug. When steam, however, is admitted into the cylinders, it will press against the larger head of piston d and, aided by the spring, overcome the pressure of steam against the'small end of the piston, which latter will then assume the position shown in the drawing, with its holes f opening into the recess c. In this case, in addition tothe small hole e, theholes f will be open to the passage of steam and oil, and the increased volume of steam passing through these additional openings will effectually overcome the retarding effect of the back pressure from the cylinder.

I believe myself to be the first to have devised alubricating apparatus provided with suitable cylinder and equaliZing-pipe connections wherein the duct connecting the lubricator and the steam-chest at any point in the length of the duct is provided with a minimum-supply choked passage, a relativelylarger bye-passage separate and distinct from the minimum-supply choked passage, and a valve for controlling said by-passage autosA matically operated by variations of pressure Within the duct.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Lets ters Patent, is as follows:

l. In a lubricating apparatus provided with suitable boiler, cylinder and equaliz'ing pipe IOO IOS

connections, and in combination with the lu- Y bricator and the steam chest or cylinder, a duct connecting the same containing a minimum-supplyy choked passage, a relatively larger by-passage, separate and distinct from .passage separate and distinct from the mini- 645,026 Y si mum-supply passage, for permitting an increased flow of steam and oil from the lubricator through the casing into the steam-chest, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a lubrieator having suitable boiler, cylinder and equalizing pipe connections, the combination With a valve-seat, of a differential valve longitudinally movable in said seat, having its larger area at its cylinder end, and provided with a constantly-open restricted port for the passage of the minimum supply of oil and steam from the lubricator, and With additional ports, separate and distinct from the constantly-open minimum-supply port, opened only When the piston-valve is operated by the back pressure from the cylinder, and communicating at this time with the lubrioator, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

4. In a locomotive-lubricatorrhaving suitable boiler, cylinder and equalizing pipe connections, the combination With the casing a, provided With one or more passages h, recess or cavity c, and partition n, of the piston CZ seated and longitudinally movable in said easing, having the port e for a continuous current of steam and oil, and the additional ports f for an intermittent current of steam and oil, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

5. In a locomotive-lubricator, the combination of the casing a having recess o and passages therefrom to the lubricator, and partition n, the piston d seated and longitudinally movable in said casing and provided with ports e and j", the spring 71, and its holder or cage i and the cap 7c, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

6. In a locomotive-lubricator, the combination with the casing aand the piston d, seated and longitudinally movable in said casing and provided With ports e and f as described, of the haud-oil'er mounted on fthe easing and communicating with the interior thereof at a point beyond the cylinder end of the piston d, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth. 4

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of October', 1896.

HUGH WOODS.

Witnesses:

SAMPLE SOURWINE, `CHARLES E. HOUSTON. 

